Giuliani, McCain, Obama rank highest with voters, poll finds

[sabra]

http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=169292

Giuliani, McCain, Obama rank highest with voters, poll finds
By Associated Press

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Americans have the warmest feelings about former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, according to a poll released Monday that scores the popularity of national leaders.

The Quinnipiac University poll’s “thermometer reading,” taken the week after Nov. 7 election, asks voters to rate their feelings for 20 leaders on a scale of 0 to 100.

Giuliani, a Republican weighing a presidential bid in 2008, scored the highest at 64.2. Obama and McCain, who are also considering a 2008 campaign, finished next at 58.8 and 57.7.

Another possible Democratic contender, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, scored ninth of the 20 leaders with a score of 49. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee who was roundly criticized before this month’s election for suggesting that students who don’t study could end up stuck in Iraq, came in last at 39.6.

[mike_c]

1. who in their right mind would support John McCain...?

Oh, nevermind. I guess I answered my own question.

[wyldwolf]

2. Interesting. If you believe the poll...

Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who lost the Democratic primary before winning re-election as an independent, ranked sixth with a score of 52.7, according to the poll.

[geek tragedy]

15. Mostly the same people who think Condi

is hot shit.

[wyldwolf]

17. so the same people who think Condi is hot shit find Obama attractive as well?

[geek tragedy]

18. Some, perhaps.

Given that Condi has presided over our worst national security policy since 12/7/41, it appears that voters just lurve them people who appear 'reasonable' and 'moderate'--their actual philosophies be damned.

[pnwmom]

37. I can't imagine why you think that. They're nothing alike.

[w4rma]

40. Republicans are just expressing their feelings about Lieberman sticking it to Democrats.

Much of that support is just Republicans hating Democrats. They wouldn't actually vote for Lieberman if a real Republican was running.

And then there are the folks who are just clueless about the policies and the effect of those policies that Lieberman has helped Republicans push through.

And the non-support for Lieberman is mostly Democrats and progressive-leaning independents who are pissed off at Lieberman for sticking it to Democrats.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. More like name recognition than popularity, IMO. n/t

[Missy M]

4. Why would anyone have warm feelings about Giuliani....

he is one cold, mean man with no compassion. He would make an awful president. I find this "thermometer reading" to be a bunch of bunk.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. People remember him for 9/11...

...as being the only leader on TV who actually seemed to be interested in leading.

[Missy M]

7. As the mayor of NYC he only did what any mayor of any city...

would have done or be expected to do. I didn't see it as being heroic or any such thing, he simply did the job he was supposed to and that was lead the city. I think he would make a lousy president.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

31. Neither did I.

He just looked really, really good in comparison to Bush's "uhh... umm... uhh..."

[mcscajun]

19. If his Emergency HQ hadn't been wrecked and he hadn't needed to

hit the streets in search of another base of operations, he'd never have come across nationally the way he did.

Given time, people will see his limitations. He's not Presidential timber, IMO.

[wisteria]

5. Well, I still think highly of Senator Kerry, his time will come. Honestly,

he had done more and represented we the people more than any other person mentioned in this poll.He has taken the moral road and has been the most concerned and thoughtful politician in regards to our troops. What a shame he was the victim of a lie and the media gleefully went along. I do not think these numbers mean anything now. They reflect the manipulation of the press to present some people in a good way and others in a bad. Senator Kerry is the only one mentioned who was the victim of such nasty press. All the others, especially Obama, have received nothing but positive reporting even though they haven't done a damn thing to receive it.

[davhill]

14. Kerry Lost Me

Not because of what he said, which was clearly directed against Bush, but because, by apologizing he allowed himself to be swift-boated once again. He should have emphatic ly attacked Bush and clearly reiterated that if Bush had learned something at Yale he might have not led us and the troops into such a mess. He should have expressed shock and surprise that anyone could possibly interpret his little quip against Bush as, somehow, an attack against the troops. He should have also attacked those Democrats who played right into Roves hand.

[BlueStater]

23. I think the only reason Kerry apologized...

...was so he could get that idiotic story out of the news. It also was no big help that several of his fellow Democrats, such as Harold Ford, had to open their big-ass mouths and demand he apologize for something he never said in the first place.

[wisteria]

27. Exactly. n/t

[wisteria]

26. Sorry, he had no good choice and to allow the troops to think he really

did denounce them was not a choice he felt comfortable with. The party also made it difficult for him. If they had backed him up, it would of been easier. Senator Clinton made sure people thought Kerry said something terrible by supporting the administration and not Kerry.
Perhaps if you were to place yourself in his position, you could consider how difficult the decision was for him.
The media would have continued to pursue the story and use it negatively against the Democratic party.

[BlueStater]

30. Definitely one of Hillary Clinton's lowest moments

If she was as clever a politician as her husband, she would be able to turn it around in the faces of those whiney assholes. Instead, she used the incident as a cheap opportunity to knock a potential 2008 rival.

She's just about at the bottom of my list for presidential candidates, that's for damn sure.

[Stevendsmith]

8. Make no mistake

Saint McCain and the "Mayor or America" are LOVED by legions of Americans -- including scores of "moderate" Democrats who would vote either of these frauds into the White House in a second.

[stanwyck]

10. I'm hoping once people get past the mythic McCain

and meet the real McCain, a complete political animal who is not the straight talkin' no nonsense guy they think, then he won't have the following he has now.
McCain has hired Dubya's advance team and he's clearly following their playbook. But my hope is that he's got bad timing for following the Bushian philosophy. The country is at a different place now than is was when Bush II ran in 2000. The same taxcut/strong military/supply side/family values talking points are losing out to healthcare concerns/Iraq woes/deficit spending and impatience with the culture war.
If McCain was the man his PR team wants you to believe he is, he wouldn't have acted the stooge when Kerry made his gaffe - he KNEW what his former Viet Nam vet was saying. But instead of being a standup guy, he played along with the nastiness that is the Bushian way.
Make no mistake. McCain the man is not the same as McCain the myth.
And my hope is that America gets to see the man behind the mask before we elect another hollow man.

[AndyTiedye]

16. They Never Will. The Media Continues to Fawn Over Him

The only thing standing between McCain and the Presidency is the xtian right.

[Pyrzqxgl]

38. Plus McCain looks old and he doesn't look well

the last thing we need is an old/weak/ill President. I think itr might be good for Democrats to say that often. BUMPER STICKER: "McCAIN=OLD+WEAK+ILL"

[bullimiami]

9. i dont know how they asked this but it smells like bullshit.

giuliani was a crappy mayor and was not well liked. a little grandstanding on a pile of rubble wont go very far.
mccain is a mess. just putting that picture up of him humping bush like a sick puppy is enough to turn anyones stomach. its all vapor thin hype.
and obama is a relative unknown. he has made very little of his time in the senate so far and has sat and kept quiet like a good little boy.
hes no firebrand, so i dont even know how his name would have come up.

it smells so bad it must be bullshit.

[Nightjock]

11. This poll proves one BIG point

The average American voter is a dimwit.

[IndianaGreen]

39. They are right about Hillary being a dud

Her husband's Hollywoodesque fame and charisma cannot save Hillary from herself.

[LibDemAlways]

12. The media has touted McCain and Guiliani as

American heroes for a long time. Thus the favorable - if misguided - impressions. McCain has been kissing extreme right wing ass as of late and I think the 2008 nomination is his to lose. Winning is something else again. He's old. He's survived multiple bouts with melanoma. There are embarrassing photos of him hugging the chimp. He's flip-flopped all over the place. An effective Dem truth telling campaign would hurt him badly. Guiliani might as well pack it in now. The repukes are never going to nominate a guy who flaunted his mistress and had gay roommates. They still need the fundie vote.

The media is building Obama up, hoping for a Hillary/Obama ticket that would be an almost certain loser.

My dream ticket: Gore/Clark. They've already thrown everything they possibly could at Gore and they were scared shitless of Clark in 04. The two would make a powerful team.

[acmavm]

13. What they do, stop and ask the crowd that was drooling on itself

and had that 'blank' look on their faces?

[Red Zelda]

20. This is the stupidest country on Earth

Might as well vote for Oprah

[RaleighNCDUer]

25. A vote for Oprah would be far preferable to those two clowns. nt

[knight_of_the_star]

21. Don't care for this poll

No other primary campaigns have started yet, this is purely name recognition and nothing more.

[Gman]

22. Nothing more than a snapshot

or a current weather report. Means nothing about the future.

[BlueStater]

24. Well, it's no wonder Kerry's poll number are going down

Especially when you constantly lie to your readers about what he said.

Assholes.

[wisteria]

28. Yeah, much of the media insists on carrying on the lie. Even when

they know they are lying.

[1932]

29. Here's the full list of 20:

1) Rudolph Giuliani - 64.2. (9)

2) Sen. Barack Obama 58.8 (41)

3) Sen. John McCain 57.7 (12)

4) Condoleezza Rice - 56.1 (7)

5) Bill Clinton - 55.8 (1)

6) Sen. Joseph Lieberman - 52.7 (16)

7) NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg - 51.1 (44)

8) John Edwards - 49.9 (20)

9) Sen. Hillary Clinton - 49 (1)

10) N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson - 47.7 (65)

11) Sen. Joseph Biden 47 (52)

12) Nancy Pelosi 46.9 (34)

13) Gov. Mitt Romney - 45.9 (64)

14) Former VP Al Gore - 44.9 (3)

15) President George Bush - 43.8 (1)

16) Sen. Evan Bayh - 43.3 (75)

17) Newt Gingrich - 42 (15)

18) Sen. Bill Frist - 41.5 (53)

19) Sen. Harry Reid - 41.2 (61)

20) Sen. John Kerry - 39.6 (5)

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=990

[BushOut06]

32. Newt GinGRICH is on that list?

That's all the proof you need that the list is absolute horseshit. Americans are absolutely friggin stupid. I wonder how many of the people polled even knew who Nancy Pelosi was prior to the election.

I guess all it takes is your name in the news enough times, and Americans will fawn all over you. For * and Gingrich to even be on that list is proof of that.

[1932]

34. Why do people always say "that list is stupid" when they don't like the results?

The list isn't stupid. Newt is on it because he and others have suggested he's interested in running for president.

If you follow the link, you can see how many people knew who Pelosi was when asked.

Quinipiac is a very reputable polling organization (and got many of the close '06 congressional races right this year).

[Catch22Dem]

33. Name recognition

That's the whole enchilada at this stage in the game. Nothing more.

[fujiyama]

35. People rip on this list

but I think it's worth taking into account.

The results are due to several factors including positive (and in some cases very skewed) press coverage.

Giuliani receives great ratings here because people have largely forgotten about his past misdeeds and his tenure as an authoritarian ass hole mayor (atleast among those that knew about those problems of his in the first place - NYers are sick of his pimping of 9/11 as well as showboating - but this is a NATIONAL poll). Giuiliani is known as the only person that showed leadership on 9/11. Bush and Cheney were nowhere to be seen. Personally, I don't view what Giuliani did as particularly heroic, but it is perceived that he was at least doing something that day.

I don't think I've seen a politician as loved by the media as McCain. That's part of the reason people still buy into his "maverick" persona bullshit. Those that know the truth about him hate him at this point. He's polarizing in a sense, because the left and the extreme right hates him, but there is a large swath of ignorant centrists that don't know about his cynical political nature.

Obama is probably one of the most charismatic politicians out there, and even though he's quite liberal, he comes off very reasonable, appealing to moderates as well.

Bill Clinton does pretty well here because people remember his presidency and think of better times. And plus, he's witty and can relate to just about anyone. His wife doesn't have that skill or appeal. I'd say she's viewed as more cynical, calculating, cold, and dull.

Edwards is in a similar situation as Obama. Though IMO, he comes off a bit too slick and polished.

Kerry gets awful coverage from the press. Gore, too, to some extent, though he hardly receives ANY coverage.

The rest of the people are unknowns. Who the hell, outside of political junkies know who Mitt Romney or Evan Bayh is? I've never even seen Romney speak. I've only read news stories of the ass hole he is. Most Americans wouldn't have heard of them, or Richardson. The only reason Obama is known is because of his speech and he's charismatic. Most don't like what they remember of Gingrich at this point.

As for the rest, it's all name recognition.

[wisteria]

36. OMG, this poll has the potential to be so bogus.The assistant director

seems to have a real interest in promoting McCain specifically and possibly other Repubs.

Brown is assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. He can be reached at [e-mail] . This commentary first appeared on the realclearpolitics Web site.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=273&topic_id=112875&mesg_id=112875


Kerry never score well in this poll. Neither does many other Dems.However, Republicans like Bush and Condi do exceptionally well.

[seriousstan]

41. Likability poll bad news for Kerry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Sen. John Kerry, mulling a second bid for the U.S. presidency, finished dead last in a poll released on Monday on the likability of 20 top American political figures.

Among those placing ahead of Kerry were about a dozen potential 2008 White House rivals, including Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"This is bad bad news for Kerry," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute in Hamden, Connecticut, which conducted the survey.

"Americans know who he is, and have pretty much decided they don't like him," said Brown. He noted the poll found that 95 percent of respondents said they had heard enough about Kerry, who lost the 2004 White House race to President Bush, to rate the Massachusetts Democrat.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-11-27T220044Z_01_N27487084_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-POLITICS-POLL.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

[Redstone]

42. Can we have just a FEW more posts slamming Kerry on this website?

I'm getting fucking sick of it. Anyone else?

Redstone

[politicasista]

43. Here, here

Shame ain't it?:hi:

[MH1]

44. Especially since this has been posted at least twice already. n/t

[terip64]

46. I know I am. None of this matters anyway. n/t

[Island Blue]

49. I'm with ya Redstone.

It can get pretty damn disgusting around here for sure.

[Canuckistanian]

53. Agreed. This is getting absurd.

And it's all part of a larger effort to keep Kerry from challenging Hillary.

[Renew Deal]

57. I don't think Kerry should be allowed anywhere near a presidential primary

;)

[Exiled in America]

60. Actually, you can have whatever I feel like giving you

..assuming it follows all appropriate rules.

Those rules do NOT include silencing dissent about who the most successful and best choice for Democratic Presidential Nominee would be for 2008, and guess what people who don't feel like Kerry is that choice get just as much freedom to post their opinions on that matter as anyone else does.

At least, that's how DU is currently set up. Wake me up when that changes. Until then, while my own mind is not yet made up about what candidate would be best, I am happy to hear from all sides and don't need unilateral "happy talk" in order to be ok.

[blm]

45. Heh, more Lieberman revenge on Kerry. Peter Brown is a McCain and Lieberman loving

"source" for this article.

Funny, how last June, the hush hush was on the huge focus group that rated Kerry highest - - and thus the intense teardown over the last few months, including from establishment Democrats.

[bluestateguy]

47. Good

Kerry is just the wrong person for the nomination, even more than he was the wrong person in 2004. The more news that comes out now to convince him of that the better.

[wisteria]

50. THIS WON'T STOP HIM OR HIS SUPPORTERS. N/T

[fedupinBushcountry]

51. Sorry pal

John Kerry doesn't go by polls, if he had he would have never been the nominee.

Take your snark somewhere else, I'm tired of so called Democrats putting down a true blue Democrat.

[GreatPirateRoberts]

58. Here Here!!!

I hope he runs again, we need a true-blue like you said instead of someone who tries to be a conservative. Harold Ford made us mad here in TN because he tried to run as a Reagan clone. He should have been proud of his record & ran on the core democratic beliefs that kept him in congress!

[aggiesal]

59. He's not getting my vote ...

After promising the Dems that he will fight to have every vote counted, he abandons the count in 2004 within 12 hours.

[wisteria]

48. I won't "cry in my beer" over this mostly bogus and manipulated poll.

TherE is an effort about to stop him in his tracks, from speaking out and possibly running again. This poll was taken right in the midst of the media smear- yes smear. Kerry never ever said anything negative about the troops in Iraq. But you see, it wouldn't have made any difference, because they were aiming to find something on him they could use and when they couldn't they made it up. And the Dem's in our party who have plans of their own decided to accept this Rove smear as a gift and stab him in the back.
This bullsh*t poll and others will be played up to discourage backers and those willing to donate. However, in my case and I believe in the case of many others, it won't work. Kerry will run if he thinks he has something to offer this country that the others candidates don't. He is not in this for himself, but to serve this country the best way he can. Frankly, I can think of no one more qualified and willing to take the abuse to serve this country and it people more than Senator Kerry.
TO HELL WITH THE BIASED MEDIA AND THOSE TRYING TO MARGINALIZE HIM-KERRY WAS RIGHT AND STILL IS ON IRAQ AND WE WOULD ALL BE BETTER OFF NOW IF HE WERE OUR PRESIDENT.

[Redstone]

52. What you said: "We would be better off if he were President." Let's see if the

arguing, nitpicking assholes can refute THAT.

Redstone

[Canuckistanian]

54. Kerry was thrown under that bus by fellow Dems

For reasons that were never clear to me. Kerry has never been anything but a solid performer recently.

He may not be presidential material, but he at least deserved a fair break from his "colleagues".

[wisteria]

55. I agree with most of what you said, but I think he is just the type of

presidential material we do need.

[Tellurian]

56. There will be only ONE!

and that will be GORE...and I think, Kerry being the gentleman that he is, he will defer to Gore.

[bklyncowgirl]

61. Here's a link to the actual poll results--this was not taken in New York City

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1284.xml?ReleaseID=990&What=&strArea=6;&strTime=0

Rudy Guiliani as likeable--give me a break! Alright it's the 9/11 thing. Before 9/11 he was hated in New York as a snarling tyrant with a dubious personal history.

Obama's been very smart in doing these soft interviews (Oprah and the like). The fact that he a wonderful natural speaker and writer helps him a great deal.

McCain, he's been pretty steady all along--must hate being ranked number 3 behind Obama.

Joe Lieberman??? 52.7% likeable Aggh!

Al Gore's way down there--I guess not enough people saw "An Inconvenient Truth".

Nancy Pelosi managed to move up a bit. The demonization of Nancy apparently didn't work too well.

And finally, poor Kerry. Anyone following this closely knows what he meant to say with that botched up joke but the Republicans rode that horse 'till it died. In my opinion he's a good man, an honest man and seems like a genuine decent guy but he needs to do some serious work on his image.

The fact that 43.8% of these people still like George W. Bush tells you everything you need to know about the people being polled.

[leesa]

62. We have a massively uninformed population.